Meter reset device



Nov. 28, 1950 R. A. ROAD METER RESET DEVICE Filed Aug. 23. 1947 mon heretofore.

Patented Nov. 28, 195() UNIT ED?` STATES GFF ICE-' 2,531,948? METEaREsErDEvicEf RichardAs'Road; West Lafayette, n'd.,..a'ssigioxf4 to vDui/:lean Electr-ier Manufacturing Company, La Fayette, Ind.,.a2.corporatin of Illinois ApplcationAgust', 1947,; SerialNo. 77 0,':32'231 (Cl. yLith-#129).

l I According to one system of billing'for electric power, demand meters :-are=required. Combined wattlfiourk and demand meters'havebeencom-u In these a register indicatesthe energy consumption in watthours and fis-read rby the meter` reader iny the usual way. In addition,1a sweep hand points toang-ure indicating;

the maximum demand during. the billingperiod. The metery reader notes. this gure` andY then must return--thesweepfhand or maximum-de'- mand-.pointer to zero or to the position ofthe momentary demand.-

The` present -invention Y relates Y particularly to'- the devices for resetting the demand'indicatorat'llthe endof abilling period. It is desirable-to have this resetting; device as simpleasl possible and-.still have-it relatively foolproof. It must include some provisionfor sealing it, as with the conventional twisted wire and lead slug. Ac-

cording to the present invention a-very simple sealingdevice is providedwhich nevertheless is` soi4 constructed that it must be returned to an` idle position in order to insert the sealingwire. Furthermore, movement of.' the sealing device is limitedto a predetermined .aro so as to protect .l thelreset arm. This reset arm ispreferably made.`

in the form of a fairly delicate springso asV toV remove the danger of damage to other parts` through its operation, and to minimize thelikelihood that h the reset button willbe so operated as to cause the demand l pointer to springupscalefrom thezero position when the knob is suddenlykv released. A Very simple construction is` provided for securing the resetv arm at a predetermined angularity with respect'to the movement-limiting pin. v l

VAdditional objects andadvantag'esof the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Figure'l is'a front" view of. a meter embody.- ir'g the'present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken ap# proximately on'the'line 2'-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig.' 3 is'a fragmentary sectional viewtakenV approximately on the line 3 3 "of Fig. 2.

" Fig.- 4 isa perspective'viewshowinglthe resetVJ knob and shank.

Fig." 51 is a perspective view of the reset arm.

Fig. 6 is a perspective vieW--ofthe\bushing for receiving the device of Fig'. 4.

Although` thelaw requires afull and' exact description of at least one form'of"thef'inv'en"L tion, such asthat which follows, it is;` of course,

the purpose of a patent to covereach new inven-vtive .concept therein no matter how it may. later beldisguised byvariations in form or additions oft further improvements; and the appended claimsare intendedto accomplishthis -purpose by. particularly pointing out the parts, improvements or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

Tieinvention has*beenillustratedinsconjunca tiorrwitha meterziirmudmg ameter based IwhichV mayilbeforxthefsoeketitypeas Illustratedg. ormfany otherr type,` abmetef'rechanism. IZ andi afiglaf'ss cover I 3521 'Dhemeterimeohanismwl Zfm'a-y.y nicluder' a conventional watthour meterrrrechanismiforf driving?! a register? IlI-'v and a; suitable'VA demand meter apparatusfcroperating amomentaryde# mand indicatori pusher The` pusherJ I6@ pushe'sfthemaxiniumdemandlindicator vor .point-f eri" I'I'l ah'ea'dofit tot he!` highest'.scaleireading reached by the.pisherrISeA The.maisinrum.demandi indicationican bedet'ermine'd: byreading; thesposi'# tion orzthev pointerfl I `'onfaiscale'r I 8?..

AsiiseenL-.best iriFgi. 2 heJmomentarsndemand.- pointer shaft-2i whic'hmayibex tlieislfiaft.ofl'a'itlfiermalv ype.demandfrneterf.` The? maximums demand.. pointer.' I 1I' m'ays be irotativ'ely: carried by.' a1A stationary hubf 272. Mvementr offA the maxirrmn'riA demand. pointer I T! f is, pireferabl'yl;` slightly dampened: byrmeanfsof a afpacki-ngafsof silicone:stopcochfgrease@ which liesrbetwe'edahu 24;" rigid Withithezpointer. IfI and aucfupfrigid? Withfa h`ubf22.

'Ihef` maximum f. demand.: pointeri I I may;y be'arl an upturned linger s 2?! by:v which4 the f*nia-ximian." demandA pointer.: I? is@ movedii Thusf the: n'roMr m'entaryj demandzfpointerf I Bfor pusheiwill bearl' against'f onefr face hof'. the ngerr 2` to.- push'- thei' maximum," demand-pointent H iup-scale. f A*kv reseti arm-.13! lwiil. bear'` against"thefotherace off-fingers 2 'I to pushf'thef'maxirrium dema-nd pointer- H :back-1 toward A:zero :at thefend" of i, a1 .billing period.;v The? present f invention` ist. concernedv prirnarily.- with;l thew'reset xarmi I fandthevmanual device '-forfmovw ing.it.'1-

Th'erfreset arm` :ill isspreferablyI formed of: an simplelength of? spring wire bent to?thef'sl'iape shownf in* Fign5'. It isdsecu-re'd tofftheffendioff as. resetxspindle :BQSbyfmean/s' Orsai-screwA 33.r The angular iposition o-farm3 I with respect -tefspinw diez??? isedeterminedby groovesd in whichthefr arm .3l .and its. tailh f are received.. Spindle. 32 is part of a shank Sfwliich" carries knob 38;n rThe shank 31 and Vspindle 32 are roatively carried within a bushing The bush-ing; 3"9`is-pro vided -wthal flange 4l "whh'b'ears Yony the oit sidbftl'f gIaJS'S-Tcvi" I3.'4 Anit'lf iSthead'don 'tl'i'e'innef endiof tHe `biis1fiingf liman is" tght enedagainst utle cover I3 'onintrposed' washer 43. The'fl'ang lil is`prefe`rab1ysquare', a'sseen, in Figi. 3; or 'hassonrie"otheroutotro'urid'shapef It" rests inV ai correspondingly.' slaped'socket'. ai!" formed glass cover!! thus' 'securelyprevent'l irg 'th'l bushing l 39 "fr' -tLiIliKIIgh Angular Vr'noveinen't'v of spindle S2 with' respect l. to .bushing-39 isv limitedbyv a piniY which'A lasA a press-firma hole in' knob' 38;" Tile pin 5I" engages stops 52 formed on bushing 39.

in the illustrated form the shank 3'! is cut away l y at 6| to an axial plane. The bushing 39 is provided With slots 62 which are also both spaced on one side of an axial plane. Accordingly, one or the other of slots 62 is closed by shank 31 at all times except when the shank is in such an angular position that the reset arm 3| Will be approximately in the position shown in Fig. l.

The reset arm 3| is preferably made of a fairly light spring. No. 24 B & S gauge (0.0201 diameter) phosphor-bronze wire, spring tempered, has been found satisfactory.

One advantage of the considerable flexibility in reset arm Si is that it cannot force the parts beyond their range of movement and cause damage. Another advantage is that it tends to minimize the likelihood that the meter reader will cause the maximum demand pointer I1 to bounce up-scale from the zero position. In the past it has been possible for this to happen when the reset knob Was turned forcefully in the downscale position and suddenly released. The bounce-up can be more dependably prevented if suicient friction is built into the reset device so that the bounce-up force available from spring 3i is inadequate to produce a bounce-up. This friction may be provided, for example, by having the arm 3| or the tip 66 of its tail bear against the end of hub 39. To this end the tip 66 may be given a set to one side so that it will reach out to contact the end or edge of bushing 39 with resilient pressure, even though the main part of reset arm 3| is spaced slightly from bushing 39. Whether the tip 66 is given this particular set or not, it is preferably positioned angularly with respect to the turned-back tail 36 of reset arm 3| so as to ensure proper positioning of the reset arm longitudinally in the grooves 34. It is desirable that both the tip 66 and the connecting portion 61 project beyond the spindle 32 so that they will cooperate to prevent axial movement of the spindle 32 outwardly from the bushing 39. In fact, this simple method of securing the spindle 32 in place is one of the features of the invention. The single screw 33 serves both to secure the reset arm 3| and, with the help of this reset arm, hold the spindle 32 in place.

From the foregoing it is seen that a very simple type oi reset device has been provided which is virtually fool-proof in use. It is inexpensive to manufacture and install and easy to operate.

I claim:

1. A reset device for maximum demand meters including a bushing adapted to be secured to a meter cover, a reset knob, a spindle and shank by which the knob is carried and which extends through the bushing and which as groove portions on its inner end spaced laterally from each other, and a reset arm secured to the spindle at the inner end therof, said reset arm comprising a spring Wire member having its spindle-engaging end doubled Iback upon itself, both the main wire member and the doubled-back portion resting in grooves in the spindle, the reset arm being shaped to match the shape of the groove portions only when positioned in the groove portions so that the doubled-back portion projects from the spindle in both directions longitudinally of the groove portions to secure the spindle within the bushing.

2. A reset device for meters including a bushing `adapted to extend through the meter housing, a spindle adapted to be pivotally received by the bushing and including a manual operating portion, means for securing a reset member at a structurally predetermined angular position with respect to the spindle, and structures on the spindle and the bushing cooperating for limiting the angular movement of said reset member to a safe range and for providing a slot for sealing wire open through the spindle and bushing when said reset member. is adjacent one end of said range only.

3. A reset device for meters including a bushing adapted to extend through the meter housing, a spindle adapted to be pivotally received -by the bushing and including a manual operating portion, means for securing a reset member at a structurally predetermined angular position with respect to the spindle, and structures onA the spindle and the bushing cooperating for limiting the angular movement of said reset member and for providing a slot for sealing Wire open through the spindle and bushing when said reset member is adjacent one end of said range only.

e. The combination of a, maximum demand indicator and a reset device therefor, said device including a resilient member operable for resetting the maximum demand indicator and a manually operable device for operating the resilient member, said manually operable device having suncient friction therein resisting its movement so that the force available through said resilient member is inadequate to overcome said friction under conditions which will cause a jump-up of the maximum demand indicator, and structures on the spindle and the bushing cooperating for limiting the angular movement of said reset member to a safe range.

5. The combination of a maximum demand indicator and a reset device therefor, said device including a member operable for resetting the maximum demand indicator, a pusher for advancing the maximum demand indicator and a manually operable device for operating the resetting member, said manually operable device having sufficient friction therein resisting its movement so that when the reset device is suddenly released While the resetting member is pressing the maximum demand indicator against the pusher with such force that the pusher tends to advance the maximum demand indicator, the friction will prevent the pusher from advancing the maximum demand indicator past the position at which the pusher cornes to rest.

RICHARD A. ROAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,397,518 Hem Nov. 22, 1921 1,686,635 Mylius et al Oct. 9, 1928 2,016,797 Burn et al Oct. 8, 1935 2,136,216 Martin Nov. 8, 1938 2,171,183 Lamb Aug. 29, 1939 Certificate of Correction Patent N o. 2,531,948 November 28, 1950 RICHARD A. ROAD It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 5, for niclude read include; line 47, for roatvely read rotatz'oely; column 3, line 65, for the Word as before groove read has;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oce. Signed and sealed this 9th day of January, A. D. 1951.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

